The HUC Biomedical Research Improvement Program will initiate strong biomedical research efforts among faculty members at the Humacao University College. It will provide the opportunity to faculty members from the Marine Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics Departments to improve their research participation and productivity in areas related to the biomedicine. In order to accomplish this objective, funds are requested for summer salaries and to purchase the needed ewuipment and supplies. Travel funds are also requested. The Program will also stimulate the participation of other faculty members in biomedical research through the accomplishments of our MBS faculty participants. The Program will also serve as a means to get undergraduate science students (sophomore, junior and/or senior) involved in actual scientific research in biomedical sciences; therefore stimulating their interest in graduate biomedical research. Eight students, with moderate to excellent academic qualifications, will be selected as MBS participants. This application involves four projects. One of them is in the area of physiology (thyroid hormone activity). Another will be in blood flow modeling. A chemistry project will deal with the calculation of binding constants between vanadium containing ligands and other biochemical species and the relation of these constants with the vascular system activity. Finally, a project involving the determination of the thermodynamic parameters controlling the stabilities of semiquinones is also proposed. This Biomedical Research Program will commit the Humacao University College to improve its research capabilities by creating an appropiate setting for biomedical research activities.